Who’s Who / Dining Out / Theatre

WHO’S WHO GEOF TURNER: THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE NOVA SCOTIA Mike Butler

Dear World,

Hi, my name is Mike Butler and I write for The Grapevine here in beautiful Wolfville, Nova Scotia. Sorry things in your...um, world...are a bit “off” right now but I have some great news! I recently met this really awesome man who is motivated to make YOU better and I want to tell you about him.

Geof Turner was born in Kentville and raised in Steam Mill, where 7 generations of his family have resided. His dad was a teacher and principal for 40 years here in the Valley and his mom was a stay-at-home mom raising three boys. They’re as Valley as strawberry shortcake and grapenut ice cream! Geof studied sociology and economics at Acadia and he’s now married with two beautiful daughters. He’s also one of the most pleasant people on the planet!

Geof’s involvement in the “Valley world” is really why I’m writing to you. He currently works at Canada Post in the Kentville office. You can often see him at the retail counter where he’s been for about 25 years. He’s been a true community member with his pleasant demeanor and great care for his customers.

A few years ago he and his wife were home stay coordinators for the Nova Scotia International Student Program for the Kentville/ NKEC area. They had a wonderful time meeting families in the area and helping to bring students from different cultures to our community.

Geof is also a history enthusiast and he’s gathering information on people, past and present, that do extraordinary things in our area. He’s a member of the The Charles Macdonald House of Centreville Society and he spends a lot of time researching and embracing history. The need to recognize these people and celebrate their achievements is a huge passion for Geof. Without our history, how do we learn to grow and make the future brighter, right?

Geof has also dabbled in the local theatre and TV acting scene, appearing in many local productions, including Pure, Call me Fitz , and Haven. We have such a rich arts community in the Valley and beyond, and Geof certainly does his share to be involved.

You created a good egg here world and I’m excited to tell you about Geof’s BIG music project. It’s a fundraising song called There’s No Place Like Nova Scotia , which is a reimagined version of the iconic folk song, Farewell to Nova Scotia . About seven years ago while doing his post route, Geof reimagined a more positive spin on the beloved classic tune, where the sun is rising and a brand new day is beginning! With the help of his brother George, they wrote the new lyrics and music and it’s evolved over the years to become a wonderful anthem for the beautiful people and places of Nova Scotia.

Now, World, I love you most of the time but 2020 has been a gut-wrenching, brain-hurting

disaster. Nova Scotia has taken a major kick to the head and we’ve been tested on all levels and come out on top. I hope you’re proud of us! Geof has been looking for the ultimate way to use his song’s positivity for the greater good. So, following the tragic events in April with the shootings in our province, Geof contacted the Red Cross and they were more than happy to endorse his song to raise awareness and funds for this cause.

Geof went through Tunecore, who put the song on iTunes and Spotify and with the help of the Kentville Lions Club, of which Geof is a member, the song has become a hit, but the more listens, purchases, and funds raised the better! You see World, something positive has developed!

I’m gonna end this correspondence with you by quoting the great Geof Turner himself. On our first meeting, which I am proud to say will turn into many more as we’ve become fast friends, I asked Geof what he loves most about the Valley: “I love everything about the Valley,” he immediately replied. “Of course it’s home, I’ve lived here my whole life. It’s where I grew up, where my friends and family are. There’s so much to do here, from hiking Cape Split or the Harvest Moon Trail, to camping at Blomidon! We live in such beauty, alongside the highest tides in the world! Our farmers produce the best food! So much variety! The entrepreneurial spirit is very much alive and flourishing here! For generations people have figured out how to live here and thrive. Entrepreneurs, by their very nature are extremely optimistic! The wineries, cideries, micro breweries, eateries, live theatre at Centre Stage and Two Planks, the Ghost Walks with Jerome, Deep Roots, all the community festivals! Why would I want to live anywhere else?”

So, World; I know lately we’ve been dealt some poor hands and you’ve received some major flack. I just wanted to let you know that you are still filled with good things, good places, and great people! Thank you World, for Geof, and all the other Geofs out there! Take a listen to There’s No Place Like Nova Scotia and you’ll see it’s all right here!

Yours, Mike Butler

DINING OUT DURING COVID-19 Scott Campbell

Dining out while we’re in the midst of a global pandemic is a very different experience. Those of us who really enjoyed a night out with a great meal were left to fend for ourselves in our own kitchens. We were isolated not only from our friends and favourite activities but also from a sense of normalcy that had suddenly disappeared. Those first few months of flattening the curve were challenging to say the least. Then, as our concerted efforts continued, we began to see the results of our sacrifices and slowly, our society and our economy began to stir again. With that came the reappearance of dining out. But, it looks a little different. I decided to write this article to help those who were considering dining out and to maybe make it a little less alien and more comfortable.

First of all, by now, we have all heard of social distancing. Covid-19 is spread via droplets. However, these droplets have a hard time moving more than 2 meters beyond their source. Any restaurants that were opening needed to ensure that diners (or a bubble of diners) would remain 2 meters apart. For many establishments this meant removing some tables. And although removing the tables did ensure social distancing, it also resulted in a drastic decrease in potential business. In an industry that survives on a slim profit margin at the best of times, this was a concern.

This leads me to part of the reason I wanted to write this article. A local restaurant accepted a reservation a few weeks ago for a party of 12 (two tables of six). Additional staff were brought in and additional fresh produce was purchased. The party of 12 didn’t show up. That group represented about 50% of the restaurant’s business for that evening. Bringing in additional staff and purchasing extra supplies resulted in the restaurant operating at a loss that evening. I would encourage all diners to please act responsibly if you must cancel a reservation and notify the restaurant as soon as you can. During these Covid-19 restrictions, a couple of incidents like the one I just described could mean the end for a restaurant. Ken Schwartz Two Planks is getting back to work. It’s hard to believe in a way, and we have many hurdles to get over in the months to come, but the artists at Two Planks are getting ready to work with each other again in September. The first step will be a week-long workshop with eight company members at the Ross Creek Centre in September. During that time we will be developing our new fireside adaptation of Jekyll and Hyde (set in an imaginary Canning of 1911), a production that was interrupted by the pandemic in March. This week together will accomplish more than one goal. Part of our investigation will encompass figuring out how to work safely with each other in a rehearsal hall – a big Other than noticing fewer tables, you will also notice when you enter that you will likely be asked for your name, your phone number, and you will likely be assigned a table or asked at which table you plan to sit. This is not some invasion of your privacy. It is the restaurant doing their part to assist in contact tracing. Should you or another diner come into contact with someone who turns out to be Covid-19 positive, then you can be contacted and advised to be tested yourself. It is just one of the ways that the restaurants are showing their commitment to your ongoing safety.

There will also be some obvious things you’ll notice, like the fact that your server will be wearing a mask. I’m sure you’ve all heard by now how masks work – my mask keeps you safe, your mask keeps me safe. Obviously you cannot wear a mask while you eat, but your server is doing their part to keep you safe by wearing one. Other things happening may be more subtle but no less effective in keeping you from harm. A server may bring a bottle of wine to your table but you will need to pour it yourself. This is just a small way of lessening the number of people coming into repeated contact with you. The menu may be either sanitized after you use it or you’ll be offered to keep the menu as a token of your dinner. Again, a small gesture that means a great deal in keeping you from potential harm.

So, I would encourage you to take comfort in the fact that our restaurants are going to great lengths to stay open and continue to serve you fantastic meals. The differences you’ll notice are there to keep you safe and make your meal the best dining experience it can be. Cheers.

Follow Scott on Instagram

TWO PLANKS AND A PASSION THEATRE IS GETTING BACK TO WORK

@ScottsGrapevine

question for theatre artists around the world right now. The fact that we are working exclusively on a script will make it easier for artists that need to physically distance to do so. But we will simultaneously be thinking about May of 2021 and the work we will need to do to prepare for a rehearsal situation for three different plays.

At the same time, we will be considering what it means to deliver intimate performances in the age of Covid-19. How can we maintain the sensation of coming together while also being “safely apart”? Our outdoor venues are a great help to us in this situation, and in September we will have an opportunity to experiment with new ideas that will allow us to achieve our artistic goals in slightly different ways. Like so many people in so many fields, we are learning to adapt to a different world.

And finally, we will be investigating a play that we chose long before the last 5 months turned our lives upside down, and asking what it means to us now. The words might be the same, but the artists are different people now and so is the world. We may find resonances in ways we never dreamed of in February, and that’s as it should be.

One of the biggest unknowns for me will be what it will feel like, after all the certainty and sacrifice, to be back in a room with my colleagues and asking the question: “What next?”

But I am so excited to find out. ❧